779 results about "Zones of the lung" patented technology

Disclosed are methods and devices for regulating fluid flow in one or more lung regions that are supplied fluid through one or more collateral pathways. An identified region of the lung is targeted for volume reduction or collapse. The targeted lung region is then bronchially isolated to inhibit air from flowing into the targeted lung region through bronchial pathways that directly feed air to the targeted lung region. If the targeted lung region does not collapse after bronchially isolating the targeted lung region, then it is possible that a collateral pathway is feeding air to the targeted lung region, thereby preventing the targeted lung region from collapsing. In such a case, the collateral pathway is identified and air flow into the targeted lung region via the collateral pathway is reduced or eliminated.

Methods and devices for treating bronchial constriction related to asthma and anaphylaxis wherein the treatment includes providing an electrical impulse to a selected region of the vagus nerve and / or the lungs of a patient suffering from bronchial constriction.

Computed Tomography (CT) and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) are commonly used to assess patients with known or suspected pathologies of the lungs and liver. In particular, identification and quantification of possibly malignant regions identified in these high-resolution images is essential for accurate and timely diagnosis. However, careful quantitative assessment of lung and liver lesions is tedious and time consuming. This disclosure describes an automated end-to-end pipeline for accurate lesion detection and segmentation.

An articulated instrument is controllably movable between areas of different work space limits, such as when it is extendable out of and retractable into a guide tube. To avoid abrupt transitions in joint actuations as the joint moves between areas of different work space limits, a controller limits error feedback used to control its movement. To provide smooth joint control as the instrument moves between areas of different work space limits, the controller imposes barrier and ratcheting constraints on each directly actuatable joint of the instrument when the joint is commanded to cross between areas of different work space limits.

A device for regulating blood pressure between a patient's left atrium and right atrium comprises an hourglass-shaped stent comprising a neck region and first and second flared end regions, the neck region disposed between the first and second end regions and configured to engage the fossa ovalis of the patient's atrial septum; and a one-way tissue valve coupled to the first flared end region and configured to shunt blood from the left atrium to the right atrium when blood pressure in the left atrium exceeds blood pressure in the right atrium. The inventive devices may reduce left atrial pressure and left ventricular end diastolic pressure, and may increase cardiac output, increase ejection fraction, relieve pulmonary congestion, and lower pulmonary artery pressure, among other benefits. The inventive devices may be used, for example, to treat subjects having heart failure, pulmonary congestion, or myocardial infarction, among other pathologies.

Disclosed are methods and devices for treating a patient's lung region. A catheter is deployed into the lung. The catheter is used to apply heat to a targeted lung region wherein the heat affects fluid flow within the targeted lung region.

This invention relates generally to medical imaging and, in particular, to a method and system for reconstructing a model path through a branched tubular organ. Novel methodologies and systems segment and define accurate endoluminal surfaces in airway trees, including small peripheral bronchi. An automatic algorithm is described that searches the entire lung volume for airway branches and poses airway-tree segmentation as a global graph-theoretic optimization problem. A suite of interactive segmentation tools for cleaning and extending critical areas of the automatically segmented result is disclosed. A model path is reconstructed through the airway tree.

Systems, methods, and devices for biopsying tissue, in particular lung nodules, with a flexible needle are described herein. Preferably, the flexible needle is able to articulate or bend so as to provide access to areas previously difficult or impossible to biopsy. Further embodiments provide for steering and navigating the flexible needle to a region to be biopsied.

Devices and methods are provided for assessing the condition of tissue, in particular to diagnose the location and stage of diseases such as emphysema. In one device or method according to the invention, sound is introduced into lung tissue. A portion of the sound is detected after it has passed through a portion of the lung. A sound-propagation parameter is determined by comparing a property of the introduced sound and a property of the detected sound. A region of examination of the tissue is identified, based in part on either a property of the component that introduces the sound or a property of the component that detects the sound. The condition of the tissue is assessed in the region of examination, based in part on the sound-propagation parameter.

A whole-body mathematical model (10) for simulating intracranial pressure dynamics. In one embodiment, model (10) includes 17 interacting compartments, of which nine lie entirely outside of intracranial vault (14). Compartments (F) and (T) are defined to distinguish ventricular from extraventricular CSF. The vasculature of the intracranial system within cranial vault (14) is also subdivided into five compartments (A, C, P, V, and S, respectively) representing the intracranial arteries, capillaries, choroid plexus, veins, and venous sinus. The body's extracranial systemic vasculature is divided into six compartments (I, J, O, Z, D, and X, respectively) representing the arteries, capillaries, and veins of the central body and the lower body. Compartments (G) and (B) include tissue and the associated interstitial fluid in the intracranial and lower regions. Compartment (Y) is a composite involving the tissues, organs, and pulmonary circulation of the central body and compartment (M) represents the external environment.

A catheter assembly and method of using the catheter assembly is provided herein. The catheter assembly has a catheter shaft having an elongated body extending about a longitudinal axis, a proximal portion and a distal portion, an outer surface, and at least one lumen extending therethrough the elongated body at least one means for sealing at least a portion of the lumen of the bronchial vessel. At least a portion of the catheter assembly is configured for insertion into at least a portion of a bronchial vessel of a target lung region. The means for sealing is moveable between a collapsed state and an expanded state. At least a portion of the vessel can be sealed by inflating the means for sealing. The catheter assembly can then be used to infuse a dialysate solution into the target lung region.

An articulated instrument is controllably movable between areas of different work space limits, such as when it is extendable out of and retractable into a guide tube. To avoid abrupt transitions in joint actuations as the joint moves between areas of different work space limits, a controller limits error feedback used to control its movement. To provide smooth joint control as the instrument moves between areas of different work space limits, the controller imposes barrier and ratcheting constraints on each directly actuatable joint of the instrument when the joint is commanded to cross between areas of different work space limits.

The invention discloses a method for grading and managing detection of pulmonary nodes based on in-depth learning. The method for grading and managing detection of the pulmonary nodes based on in-depth learning is characterized by comprising the steps of S100, collecting a chest ultralow-dose-spiral CT thin slice image, sketching a lung area in the CT image, and labeling all pulmonary nodes in the lung area; S200, training a lung area segmentation network, a suspected pulmonary node detection network and a pulmonary node sifting grading network; S300, obtaining pulmonary node temporal sequences of all patients in an image set and grading information marks corresponding to the pulmonary node sequences to construct a pulmonary node management database; S400, training a lung cancer diagnosis network based on a three-dimensional convolutional neural network and a long-short-term memory network. According to the method for grading and managing detection of the pulmonary nodes based on in-depth learning, the lung area segmentation network, the suspected pulmonary node detection network, the pulmonary node sifting grading network and the lung cancer diagnosis network are trained based on in-depth learning, the pulmonary nodes are accurately detected, and through the combination of subsequent tracking and visiting, more accurate diagnosis information and clinic strategies are obtained.

The present invention relates to a method of reducing the numbers of eosinophils in a human subject comprising administration to a subject an IL-5R binding molecule that comprises (a) a region that specifically binds to the IL-5R and (b) an immunoglobulin Fc region. In a specific embodiment, a method of the invention reduces the number of eosinophils in blood, bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract (e g, esophagus, stomach, small intestine and colon), or lung.

The invention provides a heart valve leaflet capture device (250) comprising a cardiac catheter probe having a proximal end for manipulating the device (250) and a distal end terminating in a transvalve element (256). The transvalve element (256) is configured to pass through a heart valve generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the catheter and includes two or three leaflet gripping elements (252). The leaflet gripping elements (252) are individually movable by operation of an associated actuating mechanism (260) between a radially retracted position, in which they are withdrawn with respect to the transvalve element (256), and a capture position, in which they diverge outwardly at an acute angle from the transvalve element (256). In the capture position, each leaflet gripping element (252) defines a convergent capture zone that is directed towards the edges of a target valve leaflet and in which the target valve leaflet may be captured.

The spreading of cancer cells in a target region can be inhibited by imposing a first AC electric field in the target region for a first interval of time, with a frequency and amplitude selected to disrupt mitosis of the cancer cells; and imposing a second AC electric field in the target region for a second interval of time, with a frequency and the amplitude selected to reduce motility of the cancer cells. The amplitude of the second AC electric field is lower than the amplitude of the first AC electric field.

Stimulation of the facial nerve system (e.g., electrically, electromagnetically, etc.) in ischemic stroke patients will cause dilation of occluded arteries and dilation of surrounding arteries, allowing for blood flow to circumvent the obstruction and reach previously-deprived tissue. The device approaches the facial nerve and its branches in the vicinity of the ear. In use, the device can be inserted into the ear canal and / or placed in proximity to the ear in order to stimulate the facial nerve system non-invasively (e.g., using an electromagnetic field). The device can be used in the emergency treatment of acute stroke or chronically variations for long-term maintenance of blood flow to the brain and stroke prevention. Additional embodiments of the device may be adapted for use on different regions of the body.

Multiple contact connector for an electrode, for example, for medical use.The present invention relates to a multiple contact connector with reduced space requirement and weight regardless of the number of electrical contacts of the electrode, which can receive one or two electrodes, which guarantees a reliable and secured electrical connection with no risk of accidental disconnection and which is not a problem for a patient in whom the electrodes are implanted.This connector (1) consists of male plug (6) which has elongated support (60) provided on at least one of its sides with a number of contact zones (61) equal to the number of contacts of said electrode (2) and which are aligned parallel to the axis of first cable section (4), and female socket (7) having roughly cylindrical body (70) arranged in the extension of second cable section (5) and having at least one housing (71) provided with a number of contact elements (72) equivalent to the number of contact zones (61) of said male plug (6) and capable of receiving said support (60). This connector (1) is characterized in that it has tightening sleeve (8) arranged in order to maintain support (60) in housing (71) and to exert a radial pressure of contact zones (61) on contact elements (72) in such a way as to ensure the electrical connections.

A method of diagnosing collateral ventilation between regions of a lung includes the step of measuring at least one parameter associated with a target lung region while a catheter is positioned in the target lung region. A level of collateral fluid flow into the target lung region is detected based on the at least one parameter.

A catheter device (1) is disclosed for transvascular delivery of a medical device to a cardiac valve region of a patient. The catheter device comprises an elongate sheath (2) with a lumen and a distal end (3) for positioning at a heart valve (6), and a second channel (7) that extends parallel to, or in, said elongate sheath, an expandable embolic protection unit (8), such as a filter, wherein at least a portion of the expandable embolic protection unit is arranged to extend from an orifice of the second channel, wherein the embolic protection unit is non-tubular, extending substantially planar in the expanded state for covering ostia of the side branch vessels in the aortic arch.

An ultrasonic applicator unit (2) is used diagnostically to locate a puncture wound (316) in an artery and then therapeutically to seal the puncture wound with high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU). A control unit (6) coupled to the applicator unit includes a processor (74) that automates the procedure, controlling various parameters of the diagnostic and therapeutic modes, including the intensity and duration of the ultrasonic energy emitted by the applicator unit. A protective, sterile acoustic shell (4), which is intended to be used with a single patient and then discarded, is slipped over the applicator unit to protect against direct contact between the applicator unit and the patient and to maintain a sterile field at the site of the puncture. The apparatus and method are particularly applicable to sealing a puncture made when inserting a catheter into an artery or other vessel. Several different procedures are described for locating the puncture wound, including imaging the vessel in which the puncture is disposed and use of a locator rod to determine the disposition of the puncture along the longitudinal axis of the artery.

Systems and methods can remove material of interest, including blood clots, from a body region, including but not limited to the circulatory system for the treatment of pulmonary embolism (PE), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), cerebrovascular embolism, and other vascular occlusions.

The invention relates to a device for selecting an area (2; 22; 32; 42; 52; 62; 72; 82) of a dental restoration body (1;71), which is depicted in a 3D representation. At least portions of the area limit are provided in the form of dental-specific lines (5, 6, 8). The aim of the invention is to carry out a dental construction of a restoration body with the aid of a CAD system, whereby certain areas of the restoration body can be selected and construction tools are provided for machining the selected area in a 3D representation. To this end, the area (2; 22; 32; 42; 52; 62; 72; 82), which is to be machined with a construction tool, can be determined by selecting dental-specific lines (5, 6, 8) or dental-specific points (7.1 7.4) or a preparation edge (4). The method is used for assigning area limits to the selected area, said area limits being provided, at least in part, in the form of dental-specific lines (5, 6, 8).

The invention discloses a pulmonary nodule automatic detection method and system based on a chest CT image; the method comprises the following steps: receiving a chest CT image, using a preset 3D convolution nerve network to carry out pulmonary nodule focus detection for the chest CT image, and outputting a detection result; receiving the CT image and the detection result, and loading the detection result with the corresponding chest CT image to form a fused file; obtaining the fused file and carrying out visualization treatment, providing browse auxiliary operations for users on the fused file with the visualization treatment, and providing a calculation and measuring function. The method and system can isolate lung areas, extract candidate pulmonary nodules and remove false positives, thus improving focus detection efficiency, and the false positive efficiency can reach 97.7%. the method can use visualization three dimensional forms to directly assist a doctor to determine the pulmonary nodule forms.

The invention belongs to the application field of computer analysis technology of medical image, and relates to a pulmonary nodule three-dimensional segmentation and feature extraction method and a system thereof based on chest CT. By adopting a level set method based on a three-dimensional space, pulmonary nodule is divided within a three-dimensional interest area, and the feature of the nodule can be extracted by combining the characteristics of a bounding curved surface and the interest area of the pulmonary nodule. The invention comprises a lung area segmentation module, a three-dimensional interest area extracting module, a pulmonary nodule three-dimensional segmentation module, a nodule feature extraction and quantification module and an output module. The invention fully utilizes the three-dimensional space information of HRCT image, thus reducing the interference of normal tissues around the nodule for segmentation and feature extraction, and improving the accuracy of feature extraction.

The invention discloses an automatic segmentation method for a lung-area CT sequence. The method is characterized by comprising the steps of 1) an image I of the lung-area CT sequence is input; 2) the image I is segmented via interactive region growth; 3) according to a segmentation result, an initial contour is obtained, and seed-point coordinates of adjacent images are calculated; 4) based on the seed-point coordinates of the image I, a present image II in the sequence is segmented via the interactive region growth in step 2; and 5) step 2, 3, 4 are repeated to determine whether all images in the CT sequence are segmented, and if no, the step 3 is turned to. The automatic segmentation method automatically calculates mapping of the seed-point areas by combining the image context object characteristic continuity of the sequence to realize sequence segmentation, thereby obtaining complete three-dimensional area data of the lung, and providing basis for VOI extraction and classification of a suspected lung tubercle for a CAD system.

The invention discloses a multifunctional healthcare pillow applicable to people with different sleep positions. The pillow comprises a pillow inner and a pillowcase, and the pillow inner comprises a pillow surface, a control layer and a control device; the control layer consists of a plurality of air sac areas; the control device comprises pumps, control valves, pressure sensors and control circuits, the control valves are connected with the pumps and are respectively connected with the control circuits, and the pressure sensors are connected with the control circuits; and the control valves are used for controlling pressure in the air sac areas, so that the pillow has different shapes to meet requirements of different people on regulation and control of postures of the head and the neck when the people sleep. The height and the shape of the healthcare pillow can be automatically properly adjusted along with changes of the sleep positions of people, so that the head and the neck of a user can keep normal physiological radians when the user sleeps at different sleep positions. In addition, the multifunctional healthcare pillow is simple in structure, low in cost, reasonable in design and complete in function.

A system (10) and a method for deep brain stimulation are provided. The system (10) comprises a probe (11) and a processor (14). The probe (11) comprises an array of sensing electrodes (12) for acquiring signals representing neuronal activity at corresponding positions in a brain and an array of stimulation electrodes (12) for applying stimulation amplitudes to corresponding brain regions. The processor (14) is operably coupled to the sensing electrodes (12) and the stimulation electrodes (12) and is arranged for performing the method according to the invention. The method comprises receiving (21) the acquired signals from the sensing electrodes (12), processing (22) the acquired signals to find at least one brain region with atypical neuronal activity, based on the acquired signals determining (23) a spatial distribution of stimulation amplitudes over the array of stimulation electrodes (12), and applying (24) the spatial distribution of stimulation amplitudes to the array of stimulation electrodes (12) in order to stimulate the at least one region with atypical neuronal activity.